


A Carol of Confusion

by Genderfluid_Puddle_Of_Soup



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Crack Treated Seriously, Everyone can hear background music, Gen, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Rated for swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:06:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24795130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genderfluid_Puddle_Of_Soup/pseuds/Genderfluid_Puddle_Of_Soup
Summary: There are bound to be cultural confusions between people from nine different time periods, and apparently music is not as universal as one might think.AU where everyone can hear the background music from the games. Inspired by @linkeduniverse-prompts on Tumblr.
Relationships: Flora & Wild (Linked Universe), Hyrule & Wild (Linked Universe), Legend & Warriors (Linked Universe), Legend & Wind (Linked Universe), Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 46
Kudos: 353





	1. A Carol of Confusion

**Author's Note:**

> I saw the prompt and thought it would be great if they could all hear how the music sounds more or less like real instruments in different games. And how that would be especially weird for the people on the extreme ends of that spectrum.
> 
> I have some other ideas for other chapters, like Legend's music being an absolute mess. We'll see how that goes.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link just wants to find the source of the dark portal and call it a day, but being completely lost somewhere with suddenly changing background music might make his task harder than he hoped.

The first thing Link noticed when he stepped through the portal was how quiet everything was. The constant music that played on in the back of his mind had stopped for the first time in his life. There was still noise, but it was that of birds chirping and leaves rustling. It was disorienting.

But Link didn’t let something as minor as music stop him from defeating Ganon, and he wouldn’t let it stop him from finding the source of this dark portal. He had no idea where the portal had spit him out, but he had been completely lost the first time he saved the Kingdom. He could handle this no problem. Plus, he was near a path.

If he was just adventuring for fun, he’d ignore the path completely, find his own adventure, but Queen and Princess Zelda had asked him to look into the portal themselves. Also, if he found any freakishly strong monsters like that octorok that had been guarding the portal, he’d rather have a clear path of retreat.

Passing through some ruins, he found the path forking with a signpost pointing each way. Perfect! He wasn’t the best reader, but Zelda the First had been helping him since she woke up. These signs could help him figure out where on Farore’s green earth he was.

Walking up to the sign, he realized one major problem; it wasn’t written in Hylian. He couldn’t read it. Sighing deeply, Link fell back on his golden rule of being lost: always go left. It was his sword hand. It was his Triforce hand. Therefore, it was the hand that pointed him forwards. Adjusting his shield on his back, Link started hiking up the hill, humming the adventuring song from home as he went.

It was because of his humming that he almost didn’t notice when the music started again. The music was so quiet at first, but the further he went along the path, the louder it got, until he was standing at the entrance to a village with a pitchfork pointed at his face.

“Who are you?!” the pitchfork man yelled.

“I’m just a traveler who got lost,” Link said, raising his hands in a show of peace.

“Hrm?” pitchfork grumbled. “You certainly appear to be a Hylian, and good, honest travelers have become more common. So, sorry about that.” The man lowered his pitchfork. “Welcome to Hateno Village.”

“Um, thank you,” Link said, walking away as quickly as he could without seeming suspicious. _Appear to be Hylian,_ Link thought. That made no sense. He’d been all over Hyrule. Goddesses above! He was the _Hero_ of Hyrule. If this was Hyrule, he should recognize it. It was one thing for the portal to transport him to a neighboring country, but this? This was freaky.

That’s when Link noticed the music again. It sounded nothing like his normal head music, so much so that he started looking around for the musicians playing it. There was no one. He was alone. Link didn’t understand, the only time he’d ever heard music this clear before was when he’d gone to a concert with the Zeldas. Was this what this town’s music sounded like all the time?

He then noticed some truly bizarre looking homes up and further into town, they were much brighter than any building Link had ever seen, and they were weirdly box-like. He walked over to investigate. 

And that’s when he heard someone calling his name.

“Link! What in Hylia’s name have you done to my clothes? Why is everything pink? Where did you even get the materials for this many dye jobs?” 

The voice was coming from a woman standing at the doorway of a house connected to the rest of the village by a small bridge. She had short blonde hair, and was angrily shaking a bright pink bundle of cloth. She was wearing what looked like a man’s shirt and trousers, neither of which were pink. 

Walking towards the house in a defensive position, Link stopped on the bridge, partially hiding himself behind one of it’s support beams. He didn’t know who this woman was or what a “dye job” was, but there wasn’t anyone else around for her to be yelling at, much less someone named Link.

“What do you want from me?” he asked wearily.

“Nothing. I have no idea who you are,” she said, becoming equally suspicious of him.

“You called my name. How do you even know my name?”

“I didn’t?” Her voice ticked up. “I was yelling at Link.”

“ _My_ name is Link.”

“Oh, how odd,” she said, curiosity overtaking caution. “My Link never mentioned meeting someone with the same name, and he knows everyone in Hyrule.”

“Zelda,” a voice said from behind Link. 

He turned only to find himself at the end of a weapon for the second time in ten minutes.

“Who’s this?” the newcomer said, scowling from beneath a hood.

“He says his name's Link. He thought I was calling for him instead of you,” said the woman, who was apparently named Zelda.

“Hi,” Link managed through his nerves.

“Hm,” the stranger kept staring at him. “I’ve never seen you before. Where are you from?”

“I grew up in a cave, south of the castle.”

“Uh-huh. And was this cave in the desert, perhaps?” The man pressed his blade against Link’s neck.

“What? No. There are no deserts in Hyrule.” Link was very confused.

“Link stop. I don’t think he’s Yiga,” Zelda said from behind him. “He would have tried to escape by now if he was. And what Yiga doesn’t know there’s a desert in Hyrule?”

“Fine,” the man said, lowering his blade.

“Thanks,” Link said, rubbing his neck. He then stuck out his hand. “I’m Link. The Queen and Princess sent me to check out a dark portal that spawned down hill from this village, but I honestly have no idea what’s going on anymore.”

“Well,” Zelda said, opening the door and gesturing for him to come in, “let’s start with that last sentence. I’m the Princess, and I clearly didn’t send you.”

The man, who Link belatedly realized was the other Link that Zelda had mentioned earlier sat down in a chair and leaned his elbows onto the table. “We can also talk about how you don’t know about the massive dessert in the southwest of the country. Or more importantly, why you have my name.”

Link joined him at the table, taking the chair nearest the door. “I also want to know what’s up with the head music here? There was nothing out of town, but once I got within the gate, it was like a live orchestra. Freaked me out.”

The other Link shared a look with Zelda before they turned to him with equally confused expressions. “That’s how background music works everywhere,” Zelda said. “Purah, our scientist friend, thinks it’s because the world wasn’t able to handle full songs everywhere after the Calamity. So the music was consolidated to important areas.”

Link shook his head. “But that’s not how music works where I live. We have music everywhere, but it sounds nothing like this. It doesn’t sound like real instruments, and it’s so much simpler. Music like what you two have is reserved for the wealthy to hear at concerts.”

Zelda scrunched her face in concentration. “You said a dark portal brought you here. Can you describe it?”

“It looked like a purple archway. Definitely dark magic. That’s about it.”

The other Link stood up suddenly, drawing his sword and pointing it behind him. “Like that?”

Link turned. In the middle of the room was an archway exactly like the one he had entered. “Yes. Exactly like that.” 

Link started to draw his sword only for a screaming boy to come flying out of the portal and land on top of him.

“...the fuck Tetra!” the boy yelled, jumping to his feet and charging back at the portal, only for him to slam against it like a wall. Sighing, the boy turned back to the rest of the room, “Oh. Hi. My name’s Link. Do any of you know where the nearest seaport is?”

It was at that moment that Link realized this quest was going to be much longer and much weirder than originally planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	2. The Unbearble Ballad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Legend hadn’t been home in a month, and he had missed the simpler sounds of his Hyrule. At least, they were simpler now. Yuga had brought his own ‘improved’ versions with him from Lorule that had never completely gone away...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow this took forever. Editing is a pain. This was, however, really fun to write because the ALTTP and ALBW soundtracks are filled with absolute bops.   
> Hope you enjoy!

Legend never thought he’d be so happy to see one of those dark portals, but here he was doing the closest thing he could to a happy dance while also gripping the mast of Tetra’s ship. He loved Wind; kid was fantastic, but holy fuck did he hate the Great Sea.

He could go on about his trauma from Koholint, but really, Legend was just ready to listen to a new song. One week on Tetra’s boat and he understood why they were all pirates. No sane person could listen to the same sailing song all day everyday and  _ not _ be driven to piracy.

Except for Wind, apparently. Who, upon seeing the portal, slumped against Tetra, loudly proclaiming that the songs in the others’ Hyrule didn’t, “straight up slap” like his did. Legend had no idea what that meant, but it’s not like he could argue if he did because, as he had said, they had been listening to nothing but “The Great Sea” for a whole fucking week.

So Legend was happy about the portal. He was happy as they all loaded into a lifeboat and rowed over to it. He was even happy as he was forced to jump into freezing ocean water because Tetra wanted her boat back.

And Legend was ecstatic when he fell out the other end to the sound of his native “Hyrule Field.” He hadn’t been home in a month, and he had missed the simpler sounds of his Hyrule. At least, they were simpler now. Yuga had brought his own ‘improved’ versions with him from Lorule that had never completely gone away. 

“Anyone know where we are?” asked Time, putting his armor back on along with a dry shirt.

“We’re in my Hyrule,” Legend said, looking around. “Actually, we’re on the road to my house. We can be there within the hour.”

“Great, lead the way.”

Legend started heading towards the front of the group before turning back. “Oh, and brace yourselves to be badgered. Ravio will probably be there.”

The music changed. It was suddenly less brash and sounded more like actual instruments. Everyone besides Legend stopped in their tracks.

“Legend what the fuck,” Warriors whispered.

“Oh right. The music does that sometimes. Side effect of adventure number five.” Legend gestured for them to keep walking.

Warriors pushed to the front, next to Legend, “What do you mean ‘the music does that sometimes?’ Your Hyrule’s music has been permanently damaged. Doesn’t it bother you that it can't sound like this all the time? That it becomes synthetic?”

“Actually, the current music is the stuff caused by an interdimensional rift. When I was a kid,” the music switched back, “it sounded like this. I think it has to do with what people are talking or thinking about, but I’m not sure.”

“But still, doesn’t it frustrate you? Become annoying? Anything?” Warriors seemed desperate.

“Not really,” Legend said, picking at his nails. “I mean, my house is usually consistent because of Ravio.” The music switched again. “He’s got his own theme, lucky bastard. But most places I’ve been to have a different type of music than Hyrule. I’m used to it.”

“I’m with Warriors,” Wind said, butting his head between the two of them. “I could understand how some of you got tired of ‘The Great Sea,’ even though you’re wrong, but the music quality has switched 4 times since we got here. It’s unbearable.” Wind dragged his hands down the side of his face and fell to his knees as if he was in pain.

Legend stood over Wind, staring down at the boy. “You know what? Fuck you. I listened to the same song for a whole damn week, and the only thing I said about it was ‘wow, do you guys ever get bored of this?’ You think this is unbearable, Sailor? Watch this.”

Legend placed both of his hands on his hips and started yelling, “Agahnim, Seres, the Maidens, Oren, Duck, Rosso...” Every time he said a new name, the music would change, and he was going so fast that it changed almost every note. Finally he yelled, “...and my Uncle! So shut up!” The music finally settled back to the simpler version.

After a few more minutes of walking, they were standing in front of a two story house with a red thatched roof.

“Home sweet home,” Legend muttered as he opened the door and gestured for everyone to go in ahead of him. Once they were all inside, Legend slammed the door behind him as loud as he could. There was a thump from the upstairs.

“I’m home with a shit-ton of guests!” Legend yelled.

Before he had finished yelling there was the sound of rapid footsteps followed by a new song.

“Mr. Hero! I’ve missed you!”

Wind and Warriors slumped against the wall in obvious relief, Wind muttering what sounded like, “finally some good fucking music.”

Legend decided to ignore that and stepped forwards. “Everyone, this is Ravio. Ravio, this is everyone.”

Ravio went to open his mouth.

“No, you’re not allowed to sell them anything,” Legend said.

“But how will I pay rent if you won’t let me earn my keep?” Ravio sighed dramatically, leaning against Legend.

“You have literally never paid me a single Rupee of rent. Now get off me. I have a reputation to maintain here,” Legend said, shoving Ravio away.

Ravio scoffed. “Fine, I’m going back to folding laundry. See ya later, Link and Link’s friends.”

As Ravio went back up the stairs, his theme started to fade and was replaced with what many in the group recognized as the house theme that seemed near universal. Legend turned around. “You all get to sleep down here. The guestroom got turned into the item storage room the second it was built.”

“I know we call you a hoarder, but do you really need a whole bedroom for your stuff?” Twilight asked.

“Well, I’ve been on six adventures, and I live with an items merchant.  _ And _ I refuse to sort through the old stuff from before my first adventure. So, yes. I fucking do.”

The music switched again. Everyone groaned.

“Is this… ‘Kakariko Village?’” Time asked, a look of pure confusion on his face.

“What? No, this is what ‘Inside a House’ has sounded like most of my life,” Legend said.

“And Kakariko Village.” Time insisted. 

“They used to be the same thing, at least in Hyrule. Ravio says that separate songs for inside and outside was standard in Lorule, even before the dimensional rifts.”

At the mention of Ravio, the song switched back to “Inside a House.”

Wind stood up. “I have a question!”

Time looked at him with slight amusement, “Yes, Wind?”

“Can I explore the rest of the house?”

Legend made a face. “Why do you want to explore my house?”

“Adventure!” Wind struck a pose like he was at the front of a ship.

“Ya know what? Sure. Don’t go into the item room and don’t snoop in drawers.”

Wind pumped his fists and raced up the steps.

Everyone who did not have the chaotic energy of a 13-year-old pirate took their time taking off outer layers of armor and settling down. Warriors and Four sat down with books from home. Sky reread a letter from his Zelda, while Time pulled out his bedroll, mumbling about how he’d need his energy for when Wind inevitably caught the house on fire.

Twilight pulled Legend aside and asked, “How does Ravio know about all the different songs if he has his own theme?”

Legend shrugged. “He only has it when he’s in Hyrule. We don’t know why.”

“Does that mean you get a theme when you’re in Lorule?”

“Nope. It’s really weird. Now that I think about it, basically everyone important besides us had a theme.”

Twilight frowned. “I had always assumed that that had something to do with being born with the Triforce, at least for me.”

“But Zelda has a theme,” Legend countered.

“Oh yeah. I’m going to go stare at the wall and think about that now.”

“Have fun with that,” Legend said, patting him on the shoulder and heading over to the kitchen where Hyrule and Wild were.

Wild had dragged Hyrule in there to teach him how to actually cook because, “boiling monster bait isn’t cooking, Rule. It’s flirting with death.” Legend decided to join in on the cooking lesson since it was  _ his _ kitchen they were using, and he wanted to make sure they didn’t destroy it. It definitely wasn’t because he cared about them. Nope.

As afternoon turned to evening and the jingle of Wild’s cooking theme drifted through the house. Ravio came back down the steps, Wind clinging to his robe and dragging behind him, creating a loud thump on each step. 

“Link, I’ve never met someone this determined before. He hasn’t left my side all afternoon,” Ravio said with an amused smile.

Legend stomped over to Wind, grabbed him by the back of the shirt, and hoisted him into the air, “How the fuck does harassing my roommate fit into exploring the house?”

Wind gave him a cocky look, “I  _ did _ explore the house. And I found out that ‘Ravio’s Theme’ is my new favorite song in your Hyrule.”

Ravio stepped in, trying to get Legend to drop Wind. “I didn’t mind, Link. He helped me fold the laundry.”

Legend glared at Ravio, “I don’t believe that.” He then turned back to Wind. “What did you do.”

Wind scoffed. “Legend, my friend, my brother in arms, what could I possibly have done? Ravio is his own person, and it was his decision to let me stay. And I really did help with laundry.” A devilish grin spread across his face. “Why didn’t you tell us you have an outfit that looks just like Tingle’s?”

Legend whipped back to Ravio. “Why the fuck did you take the Tingle Tights out of storage? They were at the bottom of the Hytopia chest!”

As Legend and Ravio continued to argue, some of the others started to poke their heads into the kitchen, wondering if Hyrule’s cooking had caused a disaster. Wind carefully backed up to where Warriors was.

“You wanna know what my favorite part of this conversation has been?” he whispered.

“What?” Warriors whispered back.

“They’re changing topics every ten seconds, but listen to the music.”

"Ravio’s Theme" continued playing at the same steady pace it had been. 

“Is that why you disappeared?”

“Totally. I bribed Ravio 100 Rupees to let me stay within his music radius for the rest of our stay.”

By the time they turned their attention back to Legend and Ravio, some sort of consensus had been reached. But that didn’t matter for Wind. All that mattered was that the sweet, constant sounds of “Ravio’s Theme” continued on into the night.

Bonus:

At one point during dinner, Ravio pulled up his hood. Wild gasped and leaned over to Warriors, whispering, “Hey, does Ravio look kind of familar to you?”

“What? No. He looks kinda like Legend, but besides that...”

“Not his face! His bunny hood. I could have sworn I’d seen it before today.” 

“Now that you mention it, his whole outfit is giving me déjà vu. But there are lots of parallels in our adventures. It could be anything,” Warriors said, returning to his food.

“You’re probably right. But still, makes me wish I could download content into my brain like I can to my Sheikah Slate. It would make remembering a lot easier.”

Warriors smiled. “Downloadable content. Now there’s a novel idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


End file.
